Name: Valentine’s Heart Cookies with Red and Pink Sprinkles Recipe
Prep time: 5 h 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 3 h 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 14 tablespoons unsalted European butter, cool room temperature; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg, room temperature; 1 large egg yolk, room temperature; 2 tablespoons heavy cream, room temperature; 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste; Red gel food coloring; 1/2-1 cup pink and white jimmies sprinkles

If you’re looking to add a little extra love to your baking, these Valentine’s Heart Cookies with Red and Pink Sprinkles Recipe are pure magic. With buttery dough and a vibrant heart center, they’re like a sweet Valentine’s Day hug in cookie form.

The image shows several round cookies arranged closely on a metal cooling rack over a white marbled surface. Each cookie has two main layers: a light beige outer ring with a rough, soft texture, and a bright red heart shape in the center that is smooth and flat. Around the edges of the beige cookie layer, there are tiny pink and white round sprinkles that add a bumpy texture and decoration. Some white sprinkles are also scattered on the top red heart layer. The cookies are evenly spaced, filling the frame, with a warm light highlighting their colors and textures. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Valentine’s Heart Cookies with Red and Pink Sprinkles Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Valentine’s Heart Cookies with Red and Pink Sprinkles Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Valentine’s Heart Cookies with Red and Pink Sprinkles Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

I absolutely adore making these cookies because they’re as fun to assemble as they are to eat. The little heart shapes peek out from the dough like hidden treasures, and the sprinkles add such a cheerful crunch — perfect for Valentine’s Day or any time you want to share the love.

Beautiful Presentation: The red and pink heart centers surrounded by colorful sprinkles make these cookies look festive and inviting.
Buttery, Tender Texture: A delicate vanilla dough that bakes up light and perfectly crisp on the edges.
Easy Slice-and-Bake: Chill the dough log ahead of time, slice, and bake fresh whenever you want.
Great for Gifting: These cookies come together in a log that’s easy to package — a sweet handmade gift.

Ingredients & Why They Work

When you’re baking Valentine’s Heart Cookies with red and pink sprinkles, the key is using quality ingredients and paying attention to their temperature — especially the butter and eggs. Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need and why I love each part of this recipe:

Flat lay of a small mound of all-purpose flour, a small pile of fine sea salt, a small mound of baking powder, a stick of unsalted European butter at cool room temperature, a small heap of granulated sugar, two whole large brown eggs with clean uncracked shells, a small white ceramic bowl with heavy cream, a small white ceramic bowl of vanilla bean paste, a small white ceramic bowl with bright red gel food coloring, and a small white ceramic bowl filled with pink and white jimmie sprinkles, all arranged in perfect symmetry on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

All-purpose flour: The foundation for that perfect tender cookie crumb; measuring carefully keeps your dough just right.
Baking powder: Just a touch to add a subtle lift so your cookies aren’t too dense.
Fine sea salt: The best way to make all those buttery and vanilla notes pop.
Unsalted European butter: I prefer European-style butter (like Kerrygold) because it has a richer flavor and higher fat content, which means extra tender, flavorful cookies.
Granulated sugar: Adds the perfect sweetness and helps with that light texture when creamed with butter.
Egg and egg yolk: The yolk adds richness, while the egg binds everything together and helps with structure.
Heavy cream: Just a splash to make the dough extra silky and workable.
Vanilla bean paste: Pure vanilla bean paste brings a gorgeous depth of flavor that you just can’t get from extract alone.
Red gel food coloring: For that bold, vivid pink or red color in the heart shapes — a little goes a long way!
Pink and white jimmies sprinkles: These add delightful pops of color and a subtly crunchy texture around the cookie edges.

📝

Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

One of the best parts about the Valentine’s Heart Cookies with Red and Pink Sprinkles Recipe is how easily you can tailor it to fit your style or occasion. Whether you want to add a personal twist or accommodate dietary needs, these cookies are a fantastic canvas for creativity.

Variation: Try swapping the red gel food coloring for natural beet juice powder or hibiscus powder for a subtle, natural pink hue. When I tried this, the cookies had a lovely earthy undertone that paired beautifully with the vanilla bean paste.
Sprinkle Switch-Up: Instead of jimmies, use sanding sugar or edible glitter to add shimmer and crunch. One year, I used pearl sprinkles and the cookies looked like little treasures — a definite hit at our Valentine’s gathering.
Dairy-Free Adaptation: Substitute the unsalted European butter with a high-quality vegan butter and replace heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk. The dough might be a little different in texture, but the taste stays rich and delicious.
Seasonal Flair: Around Christmas, I like to swap out the heart cutter for stars, using red and green sprinkles for festive cheer. These cookies adapt perfectly to any holiday vibe!

Step-by-Step: How I Make Valentine’s Heart Cookies with Red and Pink Sprinkles Recipe

The image shows several round cookies with a smooth light beige base and a bright red heart shape in the center of each cookie. The edges of the cookies are decorated with small pink and white round sprinkles that add texture and color contrast. In the middle of the image, one cookie is broken in half, revealing the inside which mirrors the outside colors — golden beige edges and a dense red heart center. The cookies rest on a round white plate and a metal rack, all placed on a white marbled surface. A woman's hand is not visible but implied from the positioning and arrangement. There is also a white bowl filled with pink and white sprinkles on top, partially visible in the background. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Step 1: Whisk Together Your Dry Ingredients

Start by combining 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt in a small bowl. Give them a good whisk to ensure they’re evenly mixed. This step is crucial for uniform texture and flavor, and setting this aside now keeps your workflow smooth later on.

Step 2: Cream Your Butter and Sugar Until Fluffy

In a large mixing bowl, cream together 14 tablespoons of cool room temperature unsalted European butter and 1 cup granulated sugar. Beat them for about 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping the sides down once or twice. The texture should be soft and airy — this sets the foundation for those delightfully tender cookies.

Step 3: Blend in Your Wet Ingredients

Mix in one large room-temperature egg, one large room-temperature egg yolk, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste. Stir these in until everything is beautifully combined and smooth. The batter will look glossy and slightly thickened—perfect for embracing the flavors.

Step 4: Combine the Flour Mixture Gently

Gradually mix in the flour mixture you prepared earlier until just combined. Be careful not to overmix here—once the dry and wet ingredients meld into a soft dough, you’re ready for the next step.

Step 5: Tint Half the Dough and Chill It

Divide your dough roughly in half, leaving about 375-400 grams in the mixing bowl. Add red gel food coloring to this portion and mix until you get the perfect pink or red hue. Roll this tinted dough between parchment paper to about ½ inch thick and freeze it for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cover the remaining plain dough with plastic wrap and set it aside for now.

Step 6: Cut Out the Red Hearts and Form a Log

Using a 1 ½-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut as many hearts as you can from the chilled red dough. Don't forget to reroll the scraps once to maximize your yield! Lightly moisten the center of each heart with a dab of water, then stack and press gently to adhere. Arrange the stacked hearts in a single log about 9–10 inches long on parchment paper, then freeze for at least 30 minutes until firm. This log forms the vibrant heart charm within each cookie.

Step 7: Wrap the Heart Log with the Plain Dough

Once your heart log is firm, remove it from the freezer and wrap it carefully with the plain dough, making sure to close any gaps. Wrap the entire log tightly in plastic wrap and roll it gently to smooth the surface. Pop it in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours or, if you like, chill it overnight to deepen flavors and ease slicing later on.

Step 8: Prepare to Bake – Sprinkle and Slice

When you’re ready for deliciousness, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Take the chilled dough log and roll it generously in ½ to 1 cup of pink and white jimmies sprinkles to add that festive texture and color. Slice the log into approximate ½-inch thick cookies and arrange them spaced nicely on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 9: Bake to Light Golden Perfection

Bake your cookies for 10 minutes, or until the bottoms turn a light golden brown and the tops look matte and set. If you fancy crisper cookies, bake for a minute or two longer—but watch closely to prevent any burning. That buttery aroma filling your kitchen—pure magic!

Step 10: Cool and Enjoy

Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. This resting time helps them firm up just right, making them perfect for sharing, gifting, or keeping all to yourself. Trust me, these Valentine’s Heart Cookies with Red and Pink Sprinkles are bound to steal hearts!

Top Tip

Making Valentine’s Heart Cookies with Red and Pink Sprinkles Recipe is a joy, but a few key tips can make your baking experience even more delightful and stress-free.

Perfect Dough Temperature: Keeping your butter at cool room temperature (64-68°F) is essential. It helps create that tender, buttery dough without it being too soft or greasy, ensuring your cookies hold their shape beautifully.
Chill for Success: Don’t rush the chilling steps! The initial 10-minute freeze for the tinted dough and the 30 minutes for the heart log make slicing much easier and give you those perfectly uniform cookies every time.
Sprinkle Roll Technique: When rolling the dough log in sprinkles, do it gently but firmly to press them in without squashing your heart shapes. This balance keeps the sprinkles intact and your cookies vibrant.
Slice Thickness Matters: Experiment with slice thickness! About ½ inch gives you soft centers, but if you prefer crispier cookies, try slicing thinner around ¼ inch. Just watch your baking time closely.

How to Serve Valentine’s Heart Cookies with Red and Pink Sprinkles Recipe

The image shows thick bright red dough being mixed inside a clear glass bowl with white mixing paddles attached to a mixer. The dough has a rough, slightly crumbly texture and clings to the paddles and bowl sides. The bowl sits against a soft, white marbled background. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Garnishes

For an extra festive touch, consider dusting the cookies lightly with powdered sugar just before serving or offering a small bowl of melted white chocolate for dipping. Fresh edible flowers, like tiny rose petals or violets, also add a lovely romantic flourish when placed on your serving tray.

Side Dishes

Pair these buttery heart cookies with a warm cup of vanilla chai tea or a rich hot chocolate topped with whipped cream for a cozy Valentine’s treat. You might also serve them alongside fresh strawberries or a light berry compote to complement the vanilla notes and sprinkle colors.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Store your baked Valentine’s Heart Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keeping them sealed helps preserve their buttery texture and keeps the sprinkles lovely and colorful.

Freezing

To freeze before baking, wrap your chilled dough log tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag. It’ll keep well for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw it overnight in the fridge before slicing and baking as usual.

Reheating

If you want to enjoy them warm, simply pop the cookies in a preheated 300°F (150°C) oven for 3–5 minutes. This refreshes their buttery softness without drying them out.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use regular butter instead of European butter?

Yes, you can use regular unsalted butter, but European butter has a higher fat content which adds extra richness and tenderness to the cookies. If you use regular butter, your cookies will still be delicious, just a bit less rich.

What if I don’t have vanilla bean paste?

You can substitute vanilla extract if you don’t have vanilla bean paste. Use the same quantity (1 tablespoon). The paste offers flecks of vanilla and a more intense flavor, but extract will still give lovely aroma and taste.

Can I prepare the dough entirely the day before?

Absolutely! The dough actually benefits from an overnight chill in the refrigerator, which enhances flavors and makes it easier to slice the cookies. Just make sure it’s well wrapped to prevent drying out.

How can I make the cookies crispier?

Slice the dough log thinner, about ¼ inch thick, and bake for a bit longer while keeping an eye so they don’t burn. This will yield crispier cookies with a satisfying crunch.

Final Thoughts

There’s something incredibly special about homemade Valentine’s Heart Cookies with Red and Pink Sprinkles Recipe — from the careful steps to the joyful heart shapes bursting with color and love. These buttery delights are perfect for gifting, sharing, or simply treating yourself to a sweet moment. Whether it’s your first time or one of many, savor the process and the smiles they bring. Happy baking and happy Valentine’s Day!